place is gorgeous! food is excellent! and our server jordyn was so sweet she rly made the experience great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
AC
It was my first omakase experience, and Yuji made it very wonderful and special. Every course had its own unique flavor, and the chef gave an introduction to every course when he served them. My personal favorite was the grilled black cod. The soft yuzu taste blended so well with the taste of the cod. I was planning on getting dessert after, but the matcha tiramisu served at the end was so good and I didn't need to go get separate dessert after.
Overall, it was a very solid experience. I do think it's a bit cramped there, but it is cool inside and there is enough space to enjoy the meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Frances Paola Mulcahy
The best omakase we’ve experienced in San Francisco! It’s like being transported back in Japan. Everything was so good—highly recommend getting the sake pairing. We will be back for sure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Luke Mulcahy
Basically like being in Japan
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Peter Kuo
A true hidden gem for traditional Japanese course dining that deserves more attention.
Unlike many omakase spots that focus primarily on nigiri, Yuji delivers a well-rounded experience with a strong emphasis on expertly crafted cooked dishes.
Some standout highlights from our meal: • Eggplant with sea urchin – Perfectly balanced, with savory uni adding richness to the soft eggplant. • Grilled black cod – Lightly marinated, flaky, and beautifully textured. • Kagoshima Wagyu sukiyaki – High-quality, authentic beef served with a flavorful and unique egg dipping sauce. • Sweetfish tempura – Tender, with a perfectly crisp batter that preserves the delicate skin. • Sesame cold noodles – Rich, creamy sauce paired with springy noodles. A satisfying finish.
All of this was part of an incredible tasting menu priced at just $160.
Another thing I truly appreciated was the seasonal rotation of the menu — something rarely seen in omakase-style restaurants. They adapt the menu monthly based on ingredient availability, which keeps each visit exciting.
Seasonal crab specials to watch for: • July–August: Hairy crab season • Mid-November–December: Premium snow crab from Japan
We’re already planning to return during crab season. Can’t wait to see what the next menu has in store!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
roux sigoux
Made just exactly what you need. Delicate, precise, pristine.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mai K
Kappo ryori with delicate flavors and beautiful presentation. Went as a solo traveler and had a great time. Counter sitting, reservation required.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Zhiyang He
Great vibe and food
Anthony Giang
It was a beautiful Friday in the peak of spring. A friend from college had invited me to Kappo Yuji to experience his favorite omakase, and boy did it live up to the expectations. Though it was a little hard to find(you have to go upstairs with minimal signage outside), however once seated you find yourself in a super cozy setting with only 8 seats available. Then we began our meal. Chef Yuji started us out with the first of a number of dishes and his recommended sake. Throughout the courses, I was blown away by how simple, but balanced everything was. According to my party, this place is the most authentic to Japanese in the US, so with my limited knowledge, I took absolutely everything in. We were taken on a journey of flavor and technique which culminated in a fantastic dessert. The whole place was a complete vibe and Chef Yuji is definitely the X factor in this restaurant. His energy guides you and helps you understand everything. I really enjoyed my time here, and though I may not have left completely full in my stomach, my heart and brain were full nonetheless.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
William Aultman
Incredible experience with the freshest ingredients, masterful preparation, & warm, intimate atmosphere. Cannot recommend highly enough.
It was okay. Everything was fine, but nothing interesting or original. To be honest, I was a bit bored.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Sharon Tai
This place is a hidden gem. If you’re looking for legit sushi and craftsmanship, not something just for the ‘gram or to keep up with the Joneses, this is such a place. The chef selects ingredients personally, traveling to Japan regularly to do his research. He then knows how to bring out their subtle flavors.
Most SF restaurants are disappointing for what you pay. YUJI is the polar opposite of this. I’m looking forward to returning here many times.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Glenn Riegel
Excellent Japanese cuisine, service and staff are wonderful and helpful
Joanne Yuen
One of my favorite dining experiences in the city that has flown below the radar for far too long.
Kappo yuji is an intimate traditional Japanese restaurant that serves an array of dishes cooked in different ways: raw, fried, grilled, etc. If you like omakase but want to take a detour and still have that same quality of ingredients, this is a great place to go to.
I’ve been here around 3x and the menu has changed seasonally. Some of my favorite dishes that I’ve had include the seiko kani, which is a delicacy basically a female Japanese snow crab with a lot of roe, their grilled sea bass, and an uni soba dish.
Yuji has never failed to impress me, and get me rather full. Every time I’ve underestimated the set menu and always order extras and end up stuffed.
It is also a set menu worth the price at around $160, quite comparable to most set menus in sf, but in my opinion more worth it due to the intimate small seating setting and quality ingredients used.
Conveniently located in Japantown but easily missed in a humble no sign entryway. Parking is easy in the japantown plaza lot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anna Travels
A speakeasy omakase with no signage that you have to be in the know and find your way to this amazing experience. The standouts for me were the female snow crab, wagu and probably the best Chilean sea bass I've ever had in my life. Everything was executed perfectly and with over 25 years of collecting knives in the background you'll have a lot to talk about. You need to make reservations on Tock. I went for my birthday. The sake pairing was delicious.
place is gorgeous! food is excellent! and our server jordyn was so sweet she rly made the experience great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was my first omakase experience, and Yuji made it very wonderful and special. Every course had its own unique flavor, and the chef gave an introduction to every course when he served them. My personal favorite was the grilled black cod. The soft yuzu taste blended so well with the taste of the cod. I was planning on getting dessert after, but the matcha tiramisu served at the end was so good and I didn't need to go get separate dessert after.
Overall, it was a very solid experience. I do think it's a bit cramped there, but it is cool inside and there is enough space to enjoy the meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The best omakase we’ve experienced in San Francisco! It’s like being transported back in Japan. Everything was so good—highly recommend getting the sake pairing. We will be back for sure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Basically like being in Japan
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A true hidden gem for traditional Japanese course dining that deserves more attention.
Unlike many omakase spots that focus primarily on nigiri, Yuji delivers a well-rounded experience with a strong emphasis on expertly crafted cooked dishes.
Some standout highlights from our meal:
• Eggplant with sea urchin – Perfectly balanced, with savory uni adding richness to the soft eggplant.
• Grilled black cod – Lightly marinated, flaky, and beautifully textured.
• Kagoshima Wagyu sukiyaki – High-quality, authentic beef served with a flavorful and unique egg dipping sauce.
• Sweetfish tempura – Tender, with a perfectly crisp batter that preserves the delicate skin.
• Sesame cold noodles – Rich, creamy sauce paired with springy noodles. A satisfying finish.
All of this was part of an incredible tasting menu priced at just $160.
Another thing I truly appreciated was the seasonal rotation of the menu — something rarely seen in omakase-style restaurants. They adapt the menu monthly based on ingredient availability, which keeps each visit exciting.
Seasonal crab specials to watch for:
• July–August: Hairy crab season
• Mid-November–December: Premium snow crab from Japan
We’re already planning to return during crab season. Can’t wait to see what the next menu has in store!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Made just exactly what you need. Delicate, precise, pristine.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kappo ryori with delicate flavors and beautiful presentation. Went as a solo traveler and had a great time. Counter sitting, reservation required.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Great vibe and food
It was a beautiful Friday in the peak of spring. A friend from college had invited me to Kappo Yuji to experience his favorite omakase, and boy did it live up to the expectations. Though it was a little hard to find(you have to go upstairs with minimal signage outside), however once seated you find yourself in a super cozy setting with only 8 seats available. Then we began our meal. Chef Yuji started us out with the first of a number of dishes and his recommended sake. Throughout the courses, I was blown away by how simple, but balanced everything was. According to my party, this place is the most authentic to Japanese in the US, so with my limited knowledge, I took absolutely everything in. We were taken on a journey of flavor and technique which culminated in a fantastic dessert. The whole place was a complete vibe and Chef Yuji is definitely the X factor in this restaurant. His energy guides you and helps you understand everything. I really enjoyed my time here, and though I may not have left completely full in my stomach, my heart and brain were full nonetheless.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Incredible experience with the freshest ingredients, masterful preparation, & warm, intimate atmosphere. Cannot recommend highly enough.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
It was okay. Everything was fine, but nothing interesting or original. To be honest, I was a bit bored.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
This place is a hidden gem. If you’re looking for legit sushi and craftsmanship, not something just for the ‘gram or to keep up with the Joneses, this is such a place. The chef selects ingredients personally, traveling to Japan regularly to do his research. He then knows how to bring out their subtle flavors.
Most SF restaurants are disappointing for what you pay. YUJI is the polar opposite of this. I’m looking forward to returning here many times.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent Japanese cuisine, service and staff are wonderful and helpful
One of my favorite dining experiences in the city that has flown below the radar for far too long.
Kappo yuji is an intimate traditional Japanese restaurant that serves an array of dishes cooked in different ways: raw, fried, grilled, etc. If you like omakase but want to take a detour and still have that same quality of ingredients, this is a great place to go to.
I’ve been here around 3x and the menu has changed seasonally. Some of my favorite dishes that I’ve had include the seiko kani, which is a delicacy basically a female Japanese snow crab with a lot of roe, their grilled sea bass, and an uni soba dish.
Yuji has never failed to impress me, and get me rather full. Every time I’ve underestimated the set menu and always order extras and end up stuffed.
It is also a set menu worth the price at around $160, quite comparable to most set menus in sf, but in my opinion more worth it due to the intimate small seating setting and quality ingredients used.
Conveniently located in Japantown but easily missed in a humble no sign entryway. Parking is easy in the japantown plaza lot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A speakeasy omakase with no signage that you have to be in the know and find your way to this amazing experience. The standouts for me were the female snow crab, wagu and probably the best Chilean sea bass I've ever had in my life. Everything was executed perfectly and with over 25 years of collecting knives in the background you'll have a lot to talk about. You need to make reservations on Tock. I went for my birthday. The sake pairing was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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